CREDENTIALING: Creating Your Competitive Edge

by Debbie Phillips, Ph.D., CPM The Quadrillion

In the new world, our work lives and home lives have evolved, and in some cases, become more intertwined than ever before. The increase in remote work will eliminate many location-based restrictions, which will increase competition for jobs and make it easier for employers to recruit diverse talent from all around the country. Gartner’s research predicts that 48% of employees will work remotely after the pandemic, up from 30% pre-pandemic. We may be navigating a new reality and discovering innovative ways to engage and retain top-tier talent, but I would also point to the old saying, ‘the more things change, the more they stay the same.’ One tried-and-true strategy we can still count on is investing in human capital and the growth and development of our greatest asset, our people.

According to a recent study by Manpower, 67% of employees were interested in obtaining new skills to advance their career in a post-COVID-19 environment. This recent statistic confirms my prior research on employee engagement, which found that having the opportunity to learn and grow is a significant driver of job satisfaction. In addition to supporting higher levels of engagement, studies show a correlation between an employee having an industry certification being able to command higher salaries, and advance in their career also increases tenure within the organization.

The benefits of earning professional credentials or industry designations can not only bring in a bigger paycheck, but they come with a competitive advantage as well. U.S. workers site several top benefits of taking a professional class or training, including expanding their professional network and helping them advance in their current company. There’s also a sense of accomplishment and confidence that is hard to quantify. Still, if you take a scroll through your LinkedIn feed, you won’t have to look very long to find people in your network postingabout their latest badges earned and certificates completed.

As I coach individuals at every level, from the front line to the board room, I always encourage them to incorporate industry involvement and credentialing in their professional development plan. Picture this – two candidates with comparable experience apply for the same job. One has a professional industry credential, and the other does not. The likelihood of the credentialed candidate getting a second interview increases dramatically. Credentials can not only help during the initial interview process, but they can also be career boosters for those already in a role when seeking a promotion or expanded role on the team. For example, NAAEI and Grace Hill report that 54% of companies prefer to hire professionals with credentials and 43% of companies fund credential courses. Twenty eight percent of companies award raises based on credentials.

If we take a closer look at individuals who currently hold or are seeking professional credentials or industry designations we can see a pattern emerge, and learn that they generally share a few common attributes. Read on and see if you recognize yourself or your colleagues in any of these.

Lifelong learning is defined as the “ongoing, voluntary and self-motivated” pursuit of knowledge. It is created out of curiosity to explore ideas and concepts simply for enjoyment or personal enrichment. I often say if you want to know what’s important to someone, look at where they spend their time or

listen to what they talk about. According to the Pew Research Center, 73% of adults consider themselves lifelong learners. These lifelong learners said learning helps them feel more capable and well-rounded and opens up new perspectives about their lives. Anyone who knows me can attest that one of my favorite things is sharing my list of recommended books with someone. In fact, I keep a list, organized by topic, always ready to send in a quick email or text.

Individuals that obtain professional designations are typically highly-motivated and goal-oriented. They are often inspired by the act of setting goals and persevering to achieve them. Many professional designations include a series of courses that increase with difficulty as one advances through the curriculum, capped off by exams that award the certificate or those official designation letters. This requires dedication, tenacity, and an investment of one of our most valuable assets – time.

Most individuals that hold or are pursuing an industry credential wear many hats. In addition to taking the required classes, completing homework assignments, and participating in group projects, these individuals often maintain full-time work schedules, manage their children’s virtual learning activities and are active in their community.

It is very common for those with industry designations or credentials to be the first to “pay it forward.” They form relationships and bonds with peers during their professional development activities and they advocate for emerging leaders. Many mentors had the benefit of being mentored earlier in their careers. Research indicates that 89% of those who were mentored go on to mentor others. Clearly, these formative relationships sparked their passion for helping others grow and develop their careers.

As we reflect on this list of attributes, we can see commonalities with what leading organizations seek when hiring talent, including the desire to learn and grow, the ability to set and achieve goals, solve problems, and lead and inspire others. The earned credentials are the proverbial ‘icing on the cake,’ solidifying the person’s qualifications, skill set and achievements.

According to best-selling author Martha Friedman, success based on anything less than internal fulfillment is bound to be empty. Whether one obtains a credential to boost their career trajectory, build their network, or simply enjoys adding to their own body of knowledge, their “mental saw” is sharpened, giving them a competitive edge in work and life satisfaction.

— Abe Lincoln